Dental Bridges Mesquite

What is a dental bridge?

A dental bridge takes its name from the river bridge. A river bridge connects across two masses of land across a river. A dental bridge is a structure which ‘bridges’ a gap in one’s teeth caused one or more missing teeth. A dental bridge can restore your chewing and biting ability, as well as your smile which may have been compromised due to loss of teeth. It can also restore correct pronunciation for you, so that you can speak clearly and fluently.

Construction of Bridges in Mesquite

Bridges can be of three types

The conventional dental bridge– The most common form of a dental bridge takes support from two healthy teeth on either side. These anchor teeth have to be covered with crowns on which the ends of the bridge are attached permanently. For the purpose of the crowning, the two anchor teeth must be trimmed to compensate for the thickness of the crowns. Traditional bridges can be made from gold, ceramic (porcelain), or porcelain fused to metal (PFM). At Mesquite, dental bridges can also be supported on implants.

A cantilever bridge– A bridge which has a single anchor at one end, with the other end hanging, is called a cantilever bridge. This type is used under compulsion when the other end cannot find a healthy tooth for support.

Maryland bridge– It is like the conventional bridge, except that the attachment to the anchors is through direct bonding to the anchor teeth, and not to crowns over them. They are also called resin-bonded bridges.

Benefits of Bridges

Bridges can give you one or more of the following benefits:

They will restore your smile.

They will share chewing forces with your other, healthy teeth.

They improve your compromised ability to chew, crush, and speak.

They will restore your facial contours affected by loss of teeth.

Procedure for getting a bridge

In the first visit:

The two teeth selected on either side of the missing tooth gap, will act as anchors or abutment teeth. These teeth are trimmed to hold the crowns, and they will ultimately share the load of the bridge and the chewing forces.

Impressions of your trimmed teeth are obtained and sent to a dental laboratory for construction of the bridge. Instructions about your choice of material and shade of the surrounding teeth are also provided.

The laboratory will prepare the bridge including the artificial teeth and the crowns, for the support teeth.

You will be given a temporary bridge to wear, so that your exposed teeth and gums are well protected.

In the second visit the dentist will:

Take away your temporary bridge.

Check the new bridge for fitting and adjust it. To ensure a good fit he may temporarily cement it in place.

Are you ready to get rid of your removable dentures? Visit your dentist in Mesquite today to discuss the possibility of getting your missing teeth replaced with dental bridges!